In Memoriam

[Grace]

Italy

28-year-old Italian Army Caporal Maggiore Massimo Di Legge was one of three military personnel killed on Friday 23rd September 2011 in a vehicle accident near their base in Herat, Afghanistan.

Caporal Maggiore Di Legge was born in Aprilia and served with the Central Logistics Group based in Rome. He was part of an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) involved in training Afghan National Army soldiers.

He leaves his parents and two brothers.

Friends left messages of condolence on his Facebook page. "Finding out that you died in the war has left me speechless," said one former classmate.

Italian Army Caporal Maggiore Scelto Mario Frasca was one of three military personnel killed on Friday 23rd September 2011 in a vehicle accident near their base in Herat, Afghanistan.

The 32-year-old was born in Foggia and was based in Verona with Headquarters Land Forces Command. He joined the Italian Army in 1999 and served in Kosovo and Afghanistan prior to this deployment.

He was part of an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) involved in training Afghan National Army soldiers.

Italian Army Lieutenant Riccardo Bucci was one of three military personnel killed on Friday 23rd September 2011 in a vehicle accident near their base in Herat, Afghanistan.

34-year-old Lt. Bucci, who was born in Milan, served with the Reggimento Lagunari 'Serenissima' having served in that regiment since 2007. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan. He also previously served in Bosnia.

He was part of an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) involved in training Afghan National Army soldiers.

Lt. Bucci leaves behind his wife and 13-month-old child

[Grace]

22 September 2011

Longwood Soldier Dies In Iraq
Army Sergeant Was Serving Operation New Dawn


A soldier from Longwood, Fla. died Thursday while serving in Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed.

Sgt. Andy C. Morales, 32, was assigned to the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) out of Orlando. He was supporting Operation New Dawn in Baghdad when he died.

[Grace]

23 September 2011

US Army Sergeant Rafael E. Bigai Baez, from San Juan, Puerto Rico died on 23rd September 2011 from injuries received in a bomb blast in Wardak province.

28-year-old Sgt. Bigai Baez was an infantryman with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. He joined the Army in October 2003 and arrived at Fort Polk in June, 2010. Bigai Baez deployed to Kuwait from December 2004 to December 2005. He deployed to Afghanistan with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2010.

He was awarded the the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal and several other honors.

Bigai Baez is survived by his two children, his mother and father.

US Army Private 1st Class Carlos A. Aparicio, from San Bernadino, California died on 23rd September 2011 from injuries received in a bomb blast in Wardak province.

19-year-old Private First Class Aparicio was an infantryman with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. He joined the Army in June 2010. After training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he arrived at Fort Polk in January, 2011. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in February 2011.

Aparicio's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal and other honors.

Aparicio is survived by his mother and father.

[Grace]

24 September 2011

A soldier from Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been killed in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced on Monday.

Sgt. Tyler N. Holtz, 22, was fatally shot by insurgents while leading an assault against an enemy position in Wardak province on Saturday.

Holtz, of Dana Point, Calif., was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

He joined the Army in 2007 and served as a rifleman and a Ranger Team Leader for more than three years, according to the United States Army Special Operations Command.

He was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

"Sgt. Tyler Holtz was a courageous and incredibly talented Ranger who died while leading his men against determined insurgents," Lt. Col. David Hodne, commander of 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, said in a written statement.

"Tyler Holtz personified the Ranger Creed to the final moments of his life and his actions inspire us to do the same. We will honor his memory and mourn his loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Holtz family."

Holtz is survived by his father, mother and three brothers.

[Grace]

24 September 2011

US Marine Lance Corporal Frankie Watson, age 21, from Tennessee, was killed in action on 24th September while conducting a patrol in Afghanistan. Family members said the Marine was shot in the chest.

According to news reports, L-Cpl. Watson had worked as a deputy in the Monroe County Sheriffs Department and patrol officer for the Madisonville Police Department, after he graduated from Sequoyah High School in 2008.

Article and pictures from hometown paper.

[Grace]

25 September 2011

An Oklahoma soldier died in Afghanistan Sunday.

Spc. Francisco J. Briseno-Alvarez Jr., 27, of Oklahoma City died when insurgents attacked his unit using an Improvised Explosive Device, or IED.

Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Briseno-Alvarez joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard on September 11, 2010. He was serving in the 1st Battalion of the 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Stillwater.

He is the 12th soldier from the Oklahoma National Guard to die in Afghanistan since July 29th.

[Grace]

26 September 2011

21-year-old US Cavalry Specialist Garrett A. Fant, from American Canyon, California, was killed in action in Helmand province on 26th September 2011 when an insurgent bomb exploded against his unit. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Spc. Fant joined the Army in March 2009 and served with 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas.

His awards include the Combat Infantryman's Badge, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, and the Army Service Ribbon.